Council chiefs have vowed to mount a legal challenge if the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rules out TUPE arrangements for local authority housing benefit staff, following introduction of the Universal Credit (UC) programme.

The threat of legal action comes despite the publication only last month by the DWP and the Local Government Association (LGA) of a joint local support services framework, setting out the continued of councils role in enabling welfare reforms. LGA chief executive Carolyn Downs said at the monthly executive meeting on 14 March that the DWP is still yet to decide on TUPE arrangements – six months after discussions first began.